Castorice was afraid to hurt Lu Jingming and couldn't resist, so she just closed her eyes and let him have his way, blushing furiously, unable to face Meng Hongchen. Her body betrayed her as she instinctively pressed closer, her tongue now eagerly tangling with his.
After a few minutes of this heated exchange, under Meng Hongchen's resentful gaze, they finally parted. A thin silver string of saliva fell from their lips, connecting them briefly before vanishing into the flowers. Both were breathless, their lips swollen from the intensity of their passionate kiss.
Lu Jingming finally let go of the breathless Castorice, still somewhat unsatisfied.
But he knew when to stop—Castorice's tolerance for his affection was already enough. If it were Keqing or March 7th, they'd have pushed him away the moment Meng Hongchen appeared.
Castorice's gentle patience made Lu Jingming love her all the more.
"Meng, what delicious food did you bring today?"
Lu Jingming acted nonchalant as he took the lunchbox from Meng Hongchen.
Since he'd returned to Haiyuan City, Meng Hongchen had been actively pursuing him, often cooking and bringing meals for him to try.
Although he hadn't directly responded to her feelings, their relationship had naturally grown closer over time.
Even their terms of address had shifted from distant classmate to more intimate names.
"It's your favorite golden shrimp balls. I even learned from the restaurant's chef," Meng Hongchen replied absentmindedly, still dazed by the scene she'd witnessed.
Castorice hid behind Lu Jingming, her face flushed like a ripe apple, not daring to look at Meng Hongchen.
"Let's eat together."
Lu Jingming calmly led Castorice and Meng Hongchen to a pavilion, setting out the dishes.
He sat in the middle, subtly keeping Castorice and Meng Hongchen apart—Meng Hongchen couldn't get too close to Castorice, or there would be trouble.
Meng Hongchen finally recovered from her shock, her gaze lingering on their lips, emotions complicated.
Castorice, feeling her gaze, blushed even more and lowered her head.
Lu Jingming remained calm, picking up a shrimp ball and gently feeding it to Castorice.
"Um, I'm fine with that too!" Meng Hongchen blushed, pointed at her own lips, and looked at Lu Jingming expectantly.
"Ahem!"
The usually unflappable Lu Jingming was nearly caught off guard, almost choking.
Castorice stared at Meng Hongchen in disbelief—how could she be so bold?
"Meng, let's talk about that later!"
Lu Jingming, though well aware of Meng Hongchen's give-it-all nature, hadn't expected her to be so direct, especially in front of Castorice.
He was speechless—did she really not care about the situation? Such courage! No wonder she's Miss Meng!
"Alright…" Meng Hongchen's eyes flashed with disappointment and a bit of relief, her feelings in turmoil.
She was actually shy, but after deciding to pursue Lu Jingming, she had long since put shame aside.
For a girl, it takes courage to be so forward.
It was precisely Meng Hongchen's honest, straightforward pursuit that rapidly deepened her relationship with Lu Jingming in just a few months.
Her straight ball attacks, plus her natural allure as a beautiful white-haired girl, made it hard for Lu Jingming to resist.
With today's scene, the dynamic between them was sure to change; Meng Hongchen would likely become even bolder, making their interactions all the more interesting.
…
…
Parallel World—Douluo Continent.
Since the emergence of the simulated universe, strange changes have swept the land.
At some point, strange entities formed from negative emotions and energy—corruption points—began appearing everywhere.
These points resembled malignant tumors, exuding a repulsive aura and powerful pollution.
They silently corrode their surroundings, turning them barren and spawning terrifying monsters from negative energy.
The Spirit Hall, a powerful force, was the first to detect these corruption points.
After sending elite investigators, they discovered that if left unchecked, these points would expand uncontrollably, polluting everything and producing ever stronger monsters.
But they also found that clearing all the negative-energy monsters would cause the corruption point to naturally dissipate.
Even more miraculous, the negative energy would reverse, transforming into abundant positive energy and coalescing into coveted treasures.
Spirit Hall acted quickly, sending a Titled Douluo to clear a corruption point that had spawned a Soul Douluo-level monster.
After a fierce battle, they succeeded—and the loot was jaw-dropping: a fifty-thousand-year soul bone!
Such a soul bone is every soul master's dream.
Beyond that, they also found soul power crystals for rapid cultivation, uniquely shaped soul tools, and other rare treasures.
Different corruption points create different monsters, some even human-like or resembling long-gone historical figures.
For example, the monster at that particular site was a former Titled Douluo of Spirit Hall.
Luckily, Spirit Hall intervened before it grew to full power, averting disaster.
Notably, these monsters are bound by mysterious forces and cannot stray far from their corruption point; if they do, they lose energy and dissipate, dropping no treasures.
In a few months, news of the corruption points spread across the continent.
Everyone knew: clear a corruption point, and you gain priceless treasures.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, after clearing one near their domain, obtained a powerful Level 7 soul tool.
Tests showed the tool could be used by auxiliary soul masters, granting them combat power rivaling a Soul Sage.
With so many auxiliary soul masters in their ranks, the sect saw their overall strength multiply.
Such prospects drove them wild with excitement.
The entire continent was swept up; all the great forces—Spirit Hall, the Seven Great Sects, the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires—offered rich rewards for information on corruption points.
As these points appeared randomly, many lucky people stumbled upon them.
As long as they survived the monsters, they could report the location for a hefty reward.
Suddenly, ordinary people were getting rich overnight, and the entire continent was gripped by both fear and anticipation.
The fear came from the terrifying pollution: normal people who approached a corruption point suffered severe illness afterward.
The monsters spawned inside were even worse—pure malice, attacking any living thing with savage brutality.
Yet, despite the danger, people still looked forward to them.
After all, they also brought irresistible opportunities.